Young Irelanders, ancient music: Sounds of the Irish Atlantic Coast come to the Palouse

Each year, the Irish Cultural Academy brings together some of its finest performers of Irish traditional music and dance as a group known as the Young Irelanders. To kick-off the 2019 St. Patrick’s Day celebration, the Festival Dance and Performing Arts Association is bringing the group to Pullman Friday.

This performance is part of the Young Irelanders’ 2019 tour, “Wild Atlantic Way,” which focuses on traditional music from the nine western counties of Ireland’s Atlantic coast. Though young, the artists are world and Irish national champions in their disciplines. Some also hold master’s degrees in music. Their ranks include vocalists, dancers and instrumentalists on fiddle, banjo, guitar, flute, accordion, concertina and bodhràn, a traditional Irish drum. From foot-stomping beats to stirring airs, the group’s performance is designed to transport the audience to a part of the world untarnished by modernity.

Each year Festival Dance brings an Irish group to the Palouse in March. This is the first year the evening performance will be held at Gladish Community Center. The group will also perform for 600 area fifth and sixth graders from Whitman and Latah counties schools during the day.